Journal Jots – Blog

^“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

—John 3:30

You know, ya gotta love John the Baptist. I mean, come on—the guy is as about as down-to-earth and real as you get, the true salt of the earth. His clothes were made of camel hair and leather, he ate nothing but locusts and honey, and speaking of sodium chloride, his tongue was salty enough to call a spade a spade … or a Pharisee a brood of vipers. Let’s face it—he was a truth-seeker. A bottom-liner. A no-nonsense type of guy. Everything I love.

Which is why I thought of him this week when the Christy Award finalists and the Genesis Semi-Finalists were announced, because that is the moment of truth for so many of us Christian writers. Will we final? Are we good enough? Will we impact people with what we write? You see, the Christy Awards are the Christian Oscars, and I don’t care what kind of Inspy fiction you write, there’s gotta be a longing in your heart to snatch one of those babies. At least for me there is, especially since I’ve been a die-hard fan of Catherine Marshall since I was 23, the author who wrote the novel, Christy, for whom the Christys are named.

I didn’t final, of course, a bottom line that always brings me back down to earth with a not-so-gentle thud, but to be honest, stone-cold reality is where I like to be. Not floating on a cloud, mind you, but on solid ground where the truth lives and breathes and anchors you to what is really important. And the truth is—it’s not about me. It’s about Him. Good ol’ John the Baptist in a nutshell—we must become less so Jesus can become more. This has been an endless mantra for me and something I strive for despite the blood in my veins and the humanity in my soul.

Last week I wrote about the evils of comparing in my Journal Jot, which essentially is what contests are, elevating some over others, and I honestly have nothing against that. In fact, I love American Idol, the Oscars, the Grammys and the Olympics—they’re exhilarating and fun to watch and, quite frankly, competition is healthy and important to our society. Without question, excellence in music, movies or sports brings pleasure to the masses, yes, but not finaling, winning or placing? Who would believe that it has its benefits as well? You see, those things bring one’s focus back to why we as Christians do what we do, be it sing, write, dance, perform, compete or just live our lives. For His glory and His pleasure. Like my good friend and author Cathy Gohlke said in her recent Seeker post entitled “The Road Less Traveled to Publication”: “Suddenly, I had not only permission to do what gives me joy, but the assurance of God’s blessing. I felt like the Olympic runner Eric Liddel (from the movie, Chariots of Fire), who felt God’s pleasure when he ran, only for me, it was, “When I write, I feel God’s pleasure!”

God’s pleasure—the place where each of us truly wants to be. To give Him pleasure with our obedience, our prayers, our lives … and yes, even with our attitudes of humility and thanksgiving when we don’t final, don’t win, don’t make the grade. And the beautiful thing is that His pleasure is eternal, not fleeting like awards that can tarnish with age or taint our humility, bestowing instead a holy glow when He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

No, I didn’t final in the Christys this week, but I sincerely congratulate those wonderful authors who did and my prayers are with them. The good news is, however, that I did final in the Rochelle, and so help me, God, it brought tears to my eyes. So, what’s the Rochelle, you ask? No, it’s not a contest like the Christys, but in a bottom-line, rubber-meets-the-road, John the Baptist kind of way, it’s a prize far greater, bringing joy to my soul and pleasure to my God. You see, I received an incredible e-mail earlier this week from a beautiful reader friend by the name of Rochelle, which was a wake-up call to remind me just why I write in the first place. It’s for His pleasure and glory. Not mine, not my editor’s, not the Christy committee and not the Christian market. It’s for Him, first and foremost, a lesson I had to learn all over again in the wake of the Christys, and all because a sweet lady by the name of Rochelle took the time to send me this letter:

I have a friend whom I truly enjoy and care about. She is a reader and we have discussed some spiritual things before. Based on that, I recommended your books. We had a deal. I would read one of her books and she would read one of mine. She has fallen in love with the O’Connors and is falling in love with God in the process. She recently told me that after reading your books she felt the need to go back to church and so she, her husband, and 2 children have been attending church regularly and are even taking classes in the church to learn more about God and His love for them. Thank you for being able to share Christ with those who may not have been easily drawn to Him in any other way.  

Okay, somebody, quick—pass me the Kleenex, please! I mean, seriously, does it get any better than that? Not for me, my friends. True, it doesn’t shine or glimmer like a Christy nor can I plop it in my signature line, bio or resume, but somewhere way, way up in the heavens above, there’s a holy God smiling, and I gotta tell you, I can feel His pleasure clear down to the tips of my painted toes.

My Journal Jot last week spoke of the fact that we are all pieces of the puzzle in God’s heart, like Faith O’Connor tells her little sister in A Hope Undaunted, “You own a little piece of God’s heart, like a piece of a puzzle that’s missing. A piece nobody else can fill.” Yes, some pieces are louder, more vibrant and colorful and stand out in a pile of die-cut cardboard, but all are truly needed to create the whole that brings pleasure to the creator … or in our case, the Creator. “Now you are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” —1 Corinthians 12:27. Colorful or no, bestseller or, award winner or no, we are all important pieces of God’s heart, not only vital to the joy and pleasure of the Almighty, but the pleasure of others when we emulate Him. Like another author friend of mine, Sharon Hinck, so beautifully wrote in the excellent devotional, Mornings with Jesus, which I highly recommend:

“When the first snowstorm of the winter arrived recently, I set up a jigsaw puzzle. As I worked on it throughout the week, I glanced passed the pieces that seemed dull and uninteresting. My eyes were drawn instead to the key red piece for the roof, or the vibrant blue bit over the treetops. I shoved aside a muddy brown piece and left it to wait at the side of the card table. But when the puzzle was complete, that last piece was vital. Each piece, each shape, each color, contributed to the finished work. God hasn’t called me to be every piece in the puzzle or even to be the brightest or shiniest piece. He asks me to be the specific piece He has made me to be.”

The specific piece He has made me to be. Oh, the reward in resting, enjoying, thriving as the piece—the author, the mother, the daughter, the wife, the friend, the person—He created us to be! As God is my witness, I will take it over a thousand Christys because I have learned—as Katie O’Connor learns from her sister, Faith, in A Heart Revealed—that “His will is … the path to our highest pleasure.”

And so, I want to thank dear Rochelle for taking the sting out of not finaling this week and also my sweet friends, Gabe S. and Jen C., for your God-breathed encouragement during a week that my soul desperately needed to soak it up. Like Aaron and Hur in the Bible who held up Moses’ hands during battle so the Lord’s will could be done, you held my hands up until the battle against discouragement and jealousy could be won, and it was! And for my precious friend, Laura, who I know was praying for me just like I was praying for her. You are remarkable blessings, all! Finally, I want to thank good ol’ quirky John the Baptist for teaching me that less is more—me becoming less so Jesus can become more—the true path to peace and joy in my writing, my family and in my life. What a guy! And, oh my, what a God!

FUN WEEKEND EDITION IN SEEKERVILLE!!! Everything from how to know if your agent is good to why old books smell PLUS Christian Retailing video clips of Mary Connealy, Deb Giusti, Audra Harders and me talking about our THREE FAVORITE BOOKS. Join us at http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2012/04/seekerville-weekend-edition_21.html

NEW FEATURE ON MY WEBSITE!! I read somewhere (Publisher’s Weekly, I think), where authors need to put excerpts on their websites because it increases sales, but I have been MOST negligent in this, so I have remedied that. I now have a tab on my website called “Excerpts,” where I list my favorite romantic and spiritual scenes from each of my books, including my upcoming novel, A Love Surrendered. So spread the word if you know anyone you think might like my books—just direct them to my Excerpts link for a taste of my writing style, okay? Thank you SO much!!

YEP, THE SALE IS STILL ON … Steven’s story, A Love Surrendered is ON SALE IN PRE-ORDER!!! For a very limited time, you can pre-order A Love Surrendered for only $7.72, which is almost half off, so if you plan to order it, NOW is the time to do it and if you do, PLEASE like the link, okay? Here are the links, but keep in mind that CBD.com’s sale price may not be loaded yet:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/isbn=0800734173/bakerbookhouseA

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-surrendered-a-julie-lessman/1108614896?ean=9780800734176&afsrc=1&itm=1&r=1&z=y&

Christianbook.com:

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?isbn=9780800734176&event=AFF&p=1011504 

Happy Weekend, all!

Hugs,

Julie

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said,

Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons …”

—Acts 10:34

I gotta be honest—I love Scripture, I do, but frankly, the Scripture above is one of the few that always rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, the idea of God not respecting us, which is how I always read it, just grates, you know?

I know, I know, that’s not what it means—it means God shows no partiality. Which, from the perspective of a CDQ (caffeinated drama queen) who was often the butt of family jokes growing up and clearly not the favorite of a mother who fawned over my baby sister, should be a relief. And it is. God has no favorites—He loves each of His children the same.

And yet, as human beings, we want to be special. We want to outshine others. We want to be #1, the favorite child, the “best” friend, the thinnest girl in the room, the top worker, the most popular person, the best-selling author. We compare, which is deadly. Because the truth is we are “special” —to a God who loves each of us for who we are, no less or more than anyone else, and yet, somehow, “special” all the same. Faith O’Connor tells her little sister, Katie, in A Hope Undaunted, “You own a little piece of God’s heart, Katie, like a piece of a puzzle that’s missing. A piece nobody else can fill.” And I honestly believe that’s true—we are that special to God, each of us—uniquely special in that no other person can fill that part of His heart devoted to us, no one. We are that beat of His heart that would be out of rhythm without us, and yet He does it all without comparing.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. —Isaiah 55:8.

And THANK GOD!! Because if God compared us to each other like we compare ourselves to each other, it would be a very sad day for the world. Comparison is a cancer that eats away at all that God has called us to be, all that He hopes to give us as children of His heart.

“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. — Psalm 16:5-6

And yet, we do it. Over and over and over again. And it not only hurts us, but it hurts God who made each of us in His image and calls each of us “the apple of His eye,” — Zechariah 2:8.

For instance, just this morning, Keith came in to thank me for something stupid like making coffee for him mid-morning with cinnamon on the grounds. “You’re so good to me,” he said, and I winced. “Not near as good as you are to me,” I say, knowing full well that if my daughter were present, she would make gagging sounds over the “love fest” we always display in our home.

But that’s how I feel—like Keith gives WAY more to me than I do for him. Why? Because I compare. Let’s see, Keith makes most of the money, pays the bills, does work inside of the house and out, helps me with computer stuff and artwork ALL the time, never makes me walk, but always drops me off at the door, constantly comes to see me downstairs on the lower deck throughout the day to say hi, chat or give me a kiss, brings me a snack at 5:00 PM, tells me I’m good-looking (that alone is worth the price of the ticket!!) and is just flat-out kind and understanding whenever I lose my cool (like daily!).

Me? Uh … I clean the house on special occasions (when my prayer partners come over every three weeks, holidays and when we have company), do laundry every week and a half or so, cook a meal maybe once a week (my daughter is into cooking these days in a big way, so PRAISE GOD!!), make our bed, make coffee … uh … uh … yeah, that’s about it.  All I can say is THANK GOD Keith doesn’t compare, or I would be up the proverbial creek … although, he would probably not only bring me the paddle, but get in and do all the work! Sigh.

I HATE comparing because it always means one little girl in the class is an outcast while another is the leader of the clique. Since I was one of the youngest from a family of thirteen, when all my siblings were in school, I had to attend all three kindergarten classes during the day because my parents didn’t want to make a special trip to pick me up separately. Fortunately for me, I became the teacher’s pet (she gave me and me alone a peppermint each day!) and would you believe, kids used to fight over holding my hand on the playground? Pretty heady stuff for a little girl who was ostracized by her own family, let me tell you.

And then reality struck like the back of a hand when we switched schools and the trauma of it resulted in an outbreak of psoriasis on my arms and legs, forcing me to wear knee socks and sweaters during the hot weather so kids wouldn’t make fun of me. A futile attempt on my part since the old nun who taught 2^nd grade used to ask me in front of the whole class, “Are you sure it’s not leprosy?” Any of you who have read A Hope Undaunted will remember this very story from Katie’s past as well. And, like Katie’s story, I changed schools in the 5^th grade, hardened and determined to be myself no matter what people thought. So I ditched the socks and sweaters and lo and behold, the sunlight cleared up my psoriasis and I became one of the most popular kids in the class again.

One would think that this ping-pong popularity would make me determined to be part of the in crowd, but it had the exact opposite effect. I HATE partiality and favoritism and find myself drawn to those who others ignore. That is the chief reason I am SO big on encouragement because we ALL need it—to feel God’s love through someone’s kind words, sweet smile or a soulful prayer. That year in the 5^th grade, the in crowd invited me to join them and I very nicely turned them down, choosing to play on the playground with the kids that the in crowd spurned, because I used to be one of them. And to be honest, they were more fun and kind anyway.

This week I had the incredible pleasure of reading for endorsement a book by one of my dearest friends, Laura Frantz—Love’s Reckoning—and it is simply one of the best books I have ever read in the CBA, affecting me like few other books have ever been able to do. It’s haunting and stunning and heart-wrenching and exquisite … so was I tempted to compare? Oh, you bet, and next to Laura, I truly felt like a hack and would have been severely depressed if I didn’t love Laura the person so darn much. But just as the inclination came to belittle my own writing in the face of Laura’s, God whispered in that still, small voice of His that I am His and He has called me to do exactly what I am doing in exactly the way I am doing it. “Do not turn to the right or the left, Julie, but keep your foot from evil,” He whispered (Proverbs 4:27), “do not compare because I do not!”

Go ahead, I challenge you to think about the areas in your life that trouble you right now, that bring you down and cause problems. Are any of them related to you comparing yourself, your situation, your family, your job, your person, your life to anyone else? If so, it’s a cancer, and God implores us to stop it—to not look to the right or the left, but straight ahead, eyes fixed on Him and the path He has chosen for each of us.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. — Jeremiah 29:11

Like Faith O’Connor tells Katie, in A Hope Undaunted: “If I’ve learned anything from painful experience, Katie, it’s that God’s will is the path to my ultimate happiness … and yours.”

Trust me, like Faith, I have learned this lesson first hand—more times than I can count. And what I have discovered when I find myself comparing is that the antidote, the chemo to this cancerous mindset is repentance coupled with a heart of gratitude. So THANK Him for all He has done in your life and all He yet plans to do. PRAISE Him in the good and praise Him in the bad, spitting in the eye of adversity because God holds you in the palm of His hand, and there is simply no better place to be. Always remember that each one of us is special, unique and wonderfully made in His sight, and we are, as Emma Malloy says in A Heart Revealed, “treasured possessions of a passionate God.” You own a piece of God’s heart that no one else can claim, you are that special, so never forget it. Trust me, God never does …

NEW FEATURE ON MY WEBSITE!! I read somewhere (Publisher’s Weekly, I think), where authors need to put excerpts on their websites because it increases sales, but I have been MOST negligent in this, so I have remedied that. I now have a tab on my website called “Excerpts,” where I list my favorite romantic and spiritual scenes from each of my books, including my upcoming novel, A Love Surrendered. So spread the word if you know anyone you think might like my books—just direct them to my Excerpts link for a taste of my writing style and let’s see what happens, okay? Thank you SO much!!

HOLY COW, THE SALE IS STILL ON … Steven’s story, A Love Surrendered is ON SALE IN PRE-ORDER!!! For a very limited time, you can pre-order A Love Surrendered for only $7.72, which is almost half off, so if you plan to order it, NOW is the time to do it and if you do, PLEASE like the link, okay? Here are the links, but keep in mind that CBD.com’s sale price may not be loaded yet:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/isbn=0800734173/bakerbookhouseA

Barnes and Noble:  

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-surrendered-a-julie-lessman/1108614896?ean=9780800734176&afsrc=1&itm=1&r=1&z=y&

Christianbook.com:

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?isbn=9780800734176&event=AFF&p=1011504

HAPPY WEEKEND, ALL!!

Hugs,

Julie

“This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

—1 Corinthians 11:24

I know this may surprise some people, but to me, Easter is my favorite day of the year. Yes, Christmas is nice with all the magic of Christ’s birth, Christmas carols and cookies, the scent of pine and cinnamon, family and snow (except for those brats who live in Florida, and yes, Joetta and Heather, I am talking about YOU!!). But there is just something SO holy and SO special about Easter, you know? I guess because it helps me to remember all that Christ did for me—a sinner who never did and does not now—deserve either His grace or His shed Blood.

And yet I have both—a miracle that never fails to bring tears to my eyes. Why? Because I flat-out don’t deserve it. Yes, I’m a nice person who loves to encourage and love on people and seeks after God with all of my heart, but I am also flesh. And in my mind that flesh—be it road anger at someone driving too slow or jealousy over someone else’s contest win or failings that have hurt my heart AND His far too long—negates any goodness I may think I have. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23.

Yes, “fallen short” … and continue to do so every day of my life.

Which is EXACTLY why Easter is so important to me. To remember that despite a mountain of sins that seem to grow taller everyday, I am forgiven, washed clean by the Blood of Christ, prostrate and sobbing in the rain at the foot of the cross. No matter the wounds I inflicted on Christ’s broken body this very week alone, Easter looms—a beacon of hope that God loves me no matter what I do, say or am because the truth is I am His and with the mere utterance of my sorrow from a truly repentant heart, I am free. Free!! From myself and the guilt that constrains, free to be all He’s called me to be—a child of the King, cloaked in the holy warmth of God’s forgiveness, mercy and love. OH, what a joyous day!!

And so I remember. Remember not just what He did for me, but what He continues to do in the life of this staunch Christian who just can’t seem to get it right. I remember—with painful gratitude—that because He died, I live.

Last Sunday our pastor told a wonderful story, which, no surprise, had me sodden with tears. It seems there was this elderly couple celebrating their 65^th anniversary, and so the family held a large party for them with lots of family, friends, food and presents. The old couple were ushered in, tottering ever so slowly to two chairs at the front of the auditorium. Holding hands, they sat and watched the celebration with tired but contented smiles, enjoying the music the family had selected from the couple’s era. All at once, the couple’s song began to play, and the man wobbled to his feet, offering his sweetheart a gnarled hand. Frail fingers took his as she rose, legs unsteady but smile sure, the two shuffling in a circle at an unhurried pace. Their arthritic bodies were jerky, slow and stiff … until the man leaned close to his wife’s ear and whispered something that brought a shy smile to her lips. Their laughter was soft and low and so intimate, those watching felt almost an intrusion. All at once the man dipped his wife back with shaky motion and then again with a grace that seemed impossibly smooth. Before everyone’s eyes, their dance seemed to whirl into the past where he was tall and handsome and she, small and shy, the beauty who’d first caught his eye at summer ice cream social. Time fell away, taking with it the aches and agony of age while they moved as one, fluid and fearless like the young lovers they used to be. Remembering a past that had brought them so much joy.

Remembering. It’s what it’s all about for me at Easter. Remembering—really remembering—how He took me from the darkness into His glorious light. Remembering that without Him, I would be lost. But on Easter—oh, precious Easter—I am miraculously found!!!

May each and every one of us take the time to remember this Easter and be found anew, resting in the arms of a gracious Savior and a truly glorious God.

Since Easter is a celebration of rebirth, I thought it would be fun to share pix of my new granddaughter Rory, who has given me a glorious rebirth as a mother of sorts, allowing me another chance to finally get it right. 🙂

Rory at 6 months:

My daughter Amy and Rory:

A shower Amy & I gave at our house (the famous lower deck where I do most of my writing!):

LAST-MINUTE GIVEAWAY!!

Join me for a last-minute giveaway at Journeys by Joy through Monday, April 9. Just leave a comment and be entered to win your choice of any of my books including A Love Surrendered when it releases. Here’s the link:

http://www.journeystojoy.net/2012/04/have-you-read-julie-lessmans-books.html

THE SALE IS STILL ON … Steven’s story, A Love Surrendered is ON SALE IN PRE-ORDER!!! For a very limited time, you can pre-order A Love Surrendered for only $7.72, which is almost half off, so if you plan to order it, NOW is the time to do it and if you do, PLEASE like the link, okay? Here are the links, but keep in mind that CBD.com’s sale price may not be loaded yet:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/isbn=0800734173/bakerbookhouseA

Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-surrendered-a-julie-lessman/1108614896?ean=9780800734176&afsrc=1&itm=1&r=1&z=y&

Christianbook.com:

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?isbn=9780800734176&event=AFF&p=1011504

Happy Easter, all!!

Hugs,

Julie